Chain of Being
by NocturnalFerri
Summary: Vis is a muggle werewolf with no connection to the magical world. Remus, well, you know his story. A coming of age type fic...or the werewolf kind...sorta. Not a mary sue.
1. Chapter One

Chain of Being

By nocturnalferri

Voyager247@yahoo.com

Rated: PG-13

Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters are, obviously, not mine. I'm just borrowing. BUT! Devra and Vis are mine, and…uh, well, pretty much all the characters you don't recognize are mine too.

AN: Takes place right after Prisoner of Azkaban. The title's only a working one, so feel free to make suggestions.  How's that for subtle begging?

Ahh! I'm reposting this with typo corrections and editing. 1st draft – 10% = 2nd draft, right?  Changed the rating from pg to pg-13. Eh, figured I might let out a curse or two as the story goes on.

* * *

The wizarding world wasn't too happy with him. Then again, it never was. At least, it was until he was bitten. Remus collapsed into a battered wooden park bench. Ever since Severus' cough, slip, un-cough, Remus chose to wait out the agitation in the Muggle world. He dropped his briefcase on the bench and let his arms go limp. At least here he wouldn't be met with automatic hatred and fear. 

            Remus sighed and looked down at the newspaper in his hands.  He never did get used to the stillness of Muggle periodicals. It was like examining a black and white corpse. He gave the paper a shake in a pathetic attempt to make himself feel better. The paper didn't change, except for a few more creases than before. Remus took out a Muggle ball pen from his pocket and slashed an X over a classified ad. He grimaced. Nearly the whole page was crossed out. The ones that weren't…well, let's just say that door-to-door carpet cleaning and Chihuahua grooming didn't exactly appeal to him. He didn't have any Muggle credentials, so his best bet for a job was the minimum wage waiter job at the local pub. Too bad it wasn't the Three Broomsticks. He would have at least had Madame Rosmerta to confide in…if she wasn't terrified of him, that is. 

            No, Rosmerta wasn't like that. She never cared what he or the Marauders had done. She never cared that Lily was Muggle born, or that Flitch was a squib, or that during their third year James had nicked a shot of the vodka when she wasn't looking, or that Hagrid was a half giant, or that half of her night customers were vampires, or that Sirius had two left feet when he danced with her. It was really a shame that there weren't more 'Madame Rosmerta's in the world. 

            Remus tucked the paper back into his coat pocket. It was made of black leather, a bit faded at the edges, but still in good condition. It was one of the few pieces of clothing he had that weren't mended or frayed. He fingered the zipper. Sirius had given it to him as birthday present during their sixth year. He had said it was about time Remus had a slick Muggle outfit to wear for the wild parties he would be dragging him to as soon as they were old enough to get in. Sirius kept that promise all too well. Thanks to Padfoot, he knew most of the clubs in London, both Muggle and Wizard. Not that he spent much time in them. Nowadays, he spent his time either job hunting or at home, reading a book. He'd much rather be at Hogwarts. At least there he'd have things to do, even if it meant grading homework.

            Remus sat up with a start and touched his nose. Remus tipped his head up to give his nose a better whiff of whatever he was picking up. Remus frowned. It was the sort of smell he picked up…after transforming. Remus stood up. The sounds of pre-adolescent yelling caught his attention, which happened to be the direction of the smell. Putting two and two together, Remus broke off into a run, hoping it wasn't too late.


	2. Chapter Two

Chain of Being: Chapter 2

Vis felt an uprooted root hit his heel and narrowly avoided tripping. "Really, guys, what have I ever done to you?" He swallowed hard and raised both hands in a pathetic attempt at defending himself from the gang of three boys in a semicircle around him. "I didn't do anything."

            "You're alive, isn't that enough?" sneered the one in the middle. "Who do you think you are, freak?"

            "Vis Wane. Thought you knew that, Trenor." Bad move. Damn his smart ass mouth.

            The boy on the left kicked out a foot and Vis landed hard on the grass. He threw back a hand to push himself up. A foot stomped down on it, clamping his hand to the ground. 

            "Get off!" yelped Vis. It's not like it hurt that bad. Actually, he was more relieved that Trenor wasn't wearing his baseball shoes.

            "Think you're special, don't you, freak?" asked Trenor, his foot still on Vis's hand. "Think you're better than us?"

            "No, I don't," said Vis. He yanked at his hand. It didn't budge.  

            "I don't want your cheek," snapped Trenor. He looked over at one of the other boys, a particularly bulky one with a crew cut. "Jack."

            Jack nodded and went behind Vis to yank both hands behind him. Vis cried out in surprise. He hadn't expected that. He couldn't figure out if it was it the fact Jack was faster than he looked or that he now had no means of escape short of yanking both limbs off that made him worried.

            "I've seen you in class, freak," continued Trenor. "Looking quiet. All innocent. You're not. There's something about you that isn't right, freak." He knelt down to be at eyelevel with Vis. "Scared of everything, aren't you?"

            "No, I'm not."

            "You can't even look at the drinking fountain without crying out for your mum."

            Vis reddened. He didn't exactly cry out for his mum. Yelled in surprise, maybe, but that was it. "I didn't cry." 

            "Now, how do you explain the fact something about you just isn't right?" asked Trenor. 

"Jeez, c'mon Trenor. What did I do to you?" 

            "Nothing and I'd like it to stay that way."

            "Shut up and move, freak," Said Jack. He prodded their prisoner in the back. Together, the boys shoved him to a tree and with the length of rope one of the boys had brought, started trying him to the tree.

            "Why are you doing this?!"  Vis kicked and flailed. It took all three boys to pin him to the tree.

            "Cuz you're a freak, Vis. A freak," sneered Trenor. He shoved his face close to Vis'. "There's just something about you that isn't right. And I don't like that." He glanced over his shoulder at his friends. "Let's say we have some fun." They nodded and took out a length of silver chain link. Vis' eyes widened.

            "No no no no no…" he pleaded. "C'mon guys, no no…"

            Trenor grinned. "What a baby.  We're just going to tie you up for a bit. Hopefully someone'll find you. If they do, you're not going to tell them anything, are you? You know we'll just come back and tie you up again, right?" 

            Vis was still mesmerized by the chain, its silver gleaming in the sunlight. "No, no no…"

            "Freak," Trenor laughed. He went behind the tree and bound Vis's hands with the chain, snapping a padlock to close it. He paused a moment, wondering what smelled like something burning and why the hell Vis was yelling so much. "Shut up!" He gestured to Will and Jack to start binding his waist and legs to the tree.

"Let him go!" Howled a voice. 

            Trenor whirled around and saw a man sprinting towards them. "Let's get out of here." The trio ran off towards the exit of the park.

            Remus ran up to Vis, still chained to the tree and withering in agony. "What did they do? Are you alright?"

            "Bloody hell! Do I look alright?!" screamed Vis. "Chain. They chained my hands. Get it off! Please!"

            Remus looked behind the tree and saw the boy's chained wrists. He grabbed at the chain. "Damn!" He automatically pulled his hands back, feeling the burn on his skin. They were silver chains…and they were eating into this poor boy's skin. Remus' mind reeled for a split second. This boy was the werewolf. There he was thinking he was to save a bunch of boys from a werewolf when in actuality he had to save the werewolf from the boys. He pulled out his wand from his belt and whispered quickly, "alohomora". Thank goodness for primitive Muggle locks. He used his wand to unwind the chain from the boy's hands. The movement stirred the burning smell in the air. As the chain fell to the ground, so did Vis. Remus rushed to the boy's aid.

            "Are you all right?" repeated Remus.

            Vis sat on the ground breathing shallow breaths, nursing his sore wrists. "Yeah, I think so." Seeing that he would live, Vis cleared his throat, trying to play it off, hoping the stranger wouldn't think he was a freak like Trenor had announced to the world. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just great." 

            Remus held out a hand to help the boy up. Vis ignored it and pushed himself to his feet, much to the protest of his aching wrists. He stood, keeping his eyes to the ground, and dusted himself off.

            "How are your wrists? Can I do anything?" asked Remus know quite well it would take a good healing spell to cure that kind of burn.

             "Um, yeah, I'm fine. Nasty allergic reaction that's all," said Vis.

            "I'm glad to be of help," replied Remus. "Remus Lupin by the way." He stuck out his hand. Vis flickered his eyes at it then looked Remus full in the eyes. Ice blue, cold and glazed.

"Look, I know you meant well, thanks, but you just made the rest of my life a living hell." Vis turned on his heel and stalked off. Remus was not going to let this go. He immediately followed behind the boy.

            "What do you mean?"

            "Those guys you got rid off, they're in my school. A-List. The populars who scorn all who are not. Me, I'm the target of the year. Now they think I need a bodyguard to babysit me." 

            Remus could see the reasoning behind Vis' attitude. "Why are you the target of the year?"

            "Cuz of everything." Vis stopped walking abruptly and lowered his head. "Everything." He shook his head and kept walking. "Why the hell am I telling you this. You're just another guy on the street who actually had the stupidity to have the heart to help a freak like me."

            "You're not a freak."

            "How would you know? You don't know me?"

            "I don't, I'll grant you that," said Remus. He paused a moment. Had he really intended on befriending the child? Well, he couldn't exactly leave him. The boy, Vis, was going through what he had gone through as a child. No, he would never abandon anyone in need, werewolf or not. Remus lowered his voice, "But if there's anything I do know, werewolves aren't freaks."

            Vis froze in mid-step. He whipped around, eyes wide in surprise. "How did you know?" he caught his slip and stammered, "Um, I don't know what you mean. There's no such thing as werewolves." He turned red.

            Remus permitted himself a small smile. "You haven't adapted to your senses have you?"

            Vis narrowed his eyes. Lycanthropy did enhance the senses, full moon or not, to a lower degree of course. He had noticed something strangely familiar about the stranger before but hadn't really thought of investigating. His nose itched. Remus caught his eyes.

            "What do you smell?"

            "Something familiar," said Vis. He rubbed his nose, still not used to the sensitivity. Whatever he was sensing was something he was used to…during a full moon! "You're a werewolf?!"

            "A little louder will you?" frowned Remus. 

Vis lowered his voice. "You're a werewolf?!" he hissed. Remus nodded slowly. "Wow…" Vis sat down on the ground right then and there, pavement and all.

            Remus knelt down right next to him. "You've never met any of our kind before?"

            "No. Never. Can't, really," said Vis in an awed voice. He looked up at Remus. "You don't look like a freak."

            "I'll take that as a compliment."

            Vis stared at Remus a bit. "Wow…" He squinted at the man. "You don't look like a werewolf."

            "Well what did you expect?" scoffed Remus. "A hairy mean old hermit type man who lures people into his cave for food during the full moon?" When Vis diverted his eyes and remained silent, Remus had to take that as a yes. "Obviously we're not."

            "I thought it would come, you know, after puberty or something," Admitted Vis. He threw his head back, sending strands of his black hair out of his face. "Jeez, I never thought I'd meet another frea-, er, werewolf."

            "There's a first time for everything," offered Remus.

            "I suppose," Vis pushed a hand to the ground to push himself up. His wrists gave up on him half way and he fell back to the ground. Vis looked down at his wrists. He had forgotten about them. They were all red and a bit black at the edges of the wound. He winced.

            "May I see?" asked Remus. Vis looked at him, sizing him up for a moment. Seeing that there couldn't be any harm in it, he held out his wrists. Remus gently held Vis' elbow to steady the arm. He frowned. "That's a rather nasty burn. You'd better put a bit of silver healing potion on it." Vis tactfully diverted his eyes. "You do have silver healing potion at home, don't you?"

            Vis frowned and mumbled, "Not really."

"Great Merlin, why not?" exclaimed Remus. "That's standard first aid!" 

"Yeah, for someone who can get that kind of stuff," snapped Vis. "I don't have access to that."

Remus shook his head. "No matter," he took Vis by the elbow and helped the boy to his feet. "I'll prepare a vial for you." He started to walk off towards the exit of the park.

Vis blinked, unsure of what was going on for a moment. "Hey wait!" he jogged to catch up to Remus. "What are you talking about?"

"I'll have to make the potion for you. We'll need to go to my house for the ingredients."

"Hey, I'm not going to your house, you might try to, I don't know, rape me or kill me or something," protested Vis.

Remus looked at him, amused. "You're completely right but I assure you I will not do any of the sort. You have absolutely no reason to trust me. I am a dark creature as well after all," he lifted an eyebrow at the boy. "I'll prepare it on my front steps, so you can see what I'm putting in it, and you won't be in my house where I get you in a dark corner and have my way with you."

Vis seemed satisfied. "Lead the way." They were a few steps past the gate of the park when Vis thought to ask, "It's not far, is it?"

"On the outskirts of town actually," admitted Remus. "Not too far. I usually apparate to the city. It's really too bad you're not of age."

Vis cocked his head to the side and regarded Remus with interest. "Mr. Lupin?"

"Remus will do fine."

"Er, yes."

"What is it?"

"Are you a witch?"

Remus snorted and gave Vis a bemused look. "Excuse me?"

"Are you a witch?" repeated Vis. "You know, can you do hocus pocus and stuff?" 

            Remus stifled his laughter. The question was just so innocent and so badly worded that he had to laugh. "Yes, Vis, I am, but for future reference, Magical women are witches and Magical men are Wizards."

            "Oh," Vis blushed. "Right. Sorry."

            "Quite all right," assured Remus. "I assume you are Muggle born."

            "More or less." Vis didn't bother to elaborate. "What's apperate?"

            "Apparition is when you disappear from somewhere to a different location via magic. It's very risky if you don't know how to do it, that's why minors are not allowed. You even need a license."

            "Magical poof-ing from place to place like the transporters in Star Trek." 

            Remus rolled the analogy around in his brain, thankful he had made A's in Muggle Studies. "Yes, I suppose." They walked in silence for a few minutes before Remus finally announced, "Here we are."

            Vis looked up at the house they had stopped in front of. It was a small, slightly battered house with the forest at its back. Its pale gray shingles looked as if they had seen the worst and were living only to tell about it. There was a set of four steps leading up to a tiny front porch surrounded by white wood railing. 

            "Expecting a haunted abandoned house? Or a cave, perhaps?"

            "No, not at all…it's nice."

            Remus rolled his eyes. "Right." It was all he could afford on his limited budget. He climbed up the steps. "Would you mind waiting out here while I fetch the potion ingredients?" Vis shook his head. "I wont be long." He disappeared past the stained front door and into the house.

            Vis looked around the porch to find a place to sit. No swinging bench, or plastic lawn chair, or even a garbage pail. He found a decently clean spot on the wooden deck and sat down Indian style. Remus appeared a few minutes later with a packing crate in his arms. It took him a second to realize Vis was on the ground. "Nearly missed you." He set the crate next to Vis and took his own seat. "Hopefully no one will care to look at what we're doing."

             Vis glanced over his shoulder. It was a dead end street, plus there were no people in sight. "Coast is clear." He watched Remus unpack a standard sized caudron and several vials of powders and multicolored liquids. "What's with the pot?"

            "Cauldron."

            "What you said."

            "Obviously it's where I'm gong to brew the potion."

            "Don't you need to have a fire or something to…I dunno…cook it?"

            "Yes, thank you for the reminder," Remus took out his wand and mumbled a few words. A little blue flame erupted underneath the cauldron. When he looked up, Vis' jaw was nearly on the floor.

            "You have a wand too?"

            "Oak, 11 inches. Werewolf hair core," said Remus automatically. "Ollivander never let up about it. Not too many of them around, after all."

            "Who's Ollivander?"

            "He's a maker of wands."

            "There's a wand store?"

            Remus shook his head. Muggles were so deprived. "Yes." Vis watched as he combined the necessary ingredients to make the healing potion. As the last bit hit the bubbling potion, a light poof of smoke went up from the cauldron. Remus carefully poured the potion into a flask and presented it to Vis. "There you are, Vis. One batch of silver healing potion. It'll speed up the healing process on any burn caused by a silver object…depending on its severity of course." 

            Vis took the flask and swished its contents a bit, entranced by the swirling liquid. "Are you sure it'll work?"

            Remus took the flask back in one hand and held out the other hand for Vis to see. There were faint burn marks on the tips of his fingers. "I got that while I was trying to untie you," he explained. Remus tipped a couple drops of potion onto the burn. It disappeared within a few seconds.

            "Wicked…" muttered Vis. Remus gestured for Vis to give him his wrists. Vis complied. Remus poured several drops onto Vis' badly burned wrists. The burn slowly faded from being utterly raw to medium rare. "Hey, it's still charred around the edges."

"It'll take a couple more treatments to fully heal, and even then it'll be a little sore. But it's better than running around with a pair of first degree burns."

            Vis stared at his wrists, "Yeah." He knew what that felt like. He tugged his sleeves over the burns.

            "Three drops per hour for the next four," said Remus. He corked the vial and handed it to Vis, "Understood?"

            "Yes sir," Vis gripped the neck of the flask, "Thank you." He shot up from his sitting position and stood uneasily over Remus. "I…I've never seen anything like that…that magic before. I've never had any werewolf medicine either," he shook his head, "I don't even know why I'm trusting you."

            Remus stood up slowly, "I don't mean any harm."

"I know," said Vis quickly. "I…I just…I just know too much about my…uh, our kind."

"I figured as much," said Remus. "I'd be happy to answer any of your questions." 

            "Thanks but…" Vis trailed off. "See, my mom…" he backed down the steps. "I'd better get going. Thanks a lot Mr. Lupin." 

Remus watched the boy retreat down the block, "Anytime."


	3. Chapter Three

Chain of Being: Chapter 3

Vis stopped running ten minutes later after realizing he had ran the full mile from Remus' house to town. He wasn't even out of breath. He raked a hand through his hair, slightly damp with sweat. How the hell did he run the mile? He nearly failed gym last year, so- Vis frowned. "Right…the wolf…" Vis found the correct street to take to his house and walked the rest of the way. The wolf. It was always the wolf.  His enhanced sense of smell: the wolf. His "allergy" to silver: the wolf. His quick temper: the wolf. The slashes and abrasions that covered his body the morning after the full moon: the wolf. His alienation from humanity: the wolf. 

            He wasn't human anymore and he'd never be one ever again. Vis stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. How many times had that mantra run through his head in the past two months? How many times did it run through his mum's mind? She of all people didn't deserve a freak son.

            Vis kicked a chunk of rock on the sidewalk. No, he wasn't a freak. At least, if he was, he wasn't alone. That man, Lupin, seemed to know what he was doing. At least the man proved his life expectancy wrong. He had to be at least thirty-five. He probably knew a lot more about his…their…condition, than his mum, or the stupid werewolf containment crew that refused to tell him a thing. He was a wizard too. A full-fledged wizard…who was also a werewolf.

            Vis turned the corner of his block. He didn't have any nagging vibes from the guy. Like the ones he got from Trenor. He shivered. Nothing compared with the vibes he got from him.

            Lupin couldn't' be a bad guy. He scared off the Trenor and his stooges. He healed his burns. Lupin even taught him a thing or two about being a werewolf, which was two more than what he knew in the beginning. Vis pulled his keys from his pocket as he turned up the stone walkway of his lawn. Maybe if he hung around Lupin a bit more, he'd learn something. Lupin did say he could ask questions. Maybe he could tutor him.  

            Vis shoved his key into the lock of the front door. It was centered in the middle of a brass doorknob. Vis scowled as he jiggled the aluminum key. The lock always jammed halfway through a turn. They used to have this fancy looking silver plated knob and lock plate. The little diamond stained window used to be trimmed with a silver border with a matching silver doorknocker. Vis yanked his key out of the lock. "Ah bugger," he muttered. It was bent. His mum had it taken off after he was bitten and installed the first lock at hand.

Vis pushed the door open. The smell of something pasta-like cooking in the kitchen caught his attention. He crossed the living room and swung the corner into the kitchen. A woman in her mid-thirties sat upon a counter stool with her ankles crossed at its base. She held a cookbook in one hand and a long wooden spoon in the other. 

            Vis bee-lined to the stove and lifted the lid. Yum, spaghetti. He ducked his head a bit to check the oven for garlic bread. "I can eat garlic, right?"

            Devra Wane gave a start, dropping the cookbook. She slapped a hand over her heart. "Oh! I didn't hear you come in."

Vis rolled his eyes, "Honestly mum…" He scooped up the cookbook and tossed it on top of the counter. 

"Honestly Vis," echoed Devra. "I swear you're more stealthy each day. I doubt you notice it."

"Or maybe you're just becoming deaf," countered Vis. It could be true; he wasn't as awkward as he was before he became a werewolf. Of course, he wasn't going to entertain his mum with the fact she could be right. It just wasn't done. 

Vis' mum watched her son disappeared behind the door of the refrigerator. "How was your day?"

Vis emerged a second later with a soda in hand. "Usual." He came to lean on the counter facing his mum. 

"That bad?"

"Not that bad," said Vis. He knocked back half of the can of soda in one gulp.

"So what made the difference?" Devra went over to the stove to stir the pasta.

Vis slid the can of soda on the counter back and forth between his hands. "I met someone interesting today."

"Oh?" said Devra, her voice pitching up in interest. "Would I like her?"

"Not a 'her', mom, 'him'."

Devra stopped stirring and forced a casual glance over her shoulder. "Oh?" As an afterthought she added, "That's perfectly fine…too."

Vis blinked uncomprehendingly at his mum. "What?" It dawned on him. "Mum!" His cheeks flushed pink. "Not like that! Gawd…not like that!"

His mum turned around to face Vis, "Well it's still perfectly fine," she said in her supporting motherly voice.

Vis rolled his eyes, "Anyway, I met his interesting guy at the park."

"So what makes this guy so interesting?"

"He's a werewolf."

Devra nearly dropped her spoon, "What?"

"He's a werewolf."

"I heard you, I don't believe it, but I heard you."

Vis tossed the now empty soda can into the recycling bin. "Mum, he's an honest to goodness werewolf."

"And how do you know that?"

Vis tapped his nose then his temple. "I sensed it. He's for real."

"And how did you come to meet him?"

"He got me out of a scuffle with Trenor and his gang today."

Devra's eyes widened. "They're bothering you again?"

Vis waved it off, "No matter. Anyway, he's a wizard."

"A…wizard…" Devra bit her lip, "Right."

"Serious, mum," Vis insisted. "He even made me a bit of some silver healing potion for me." At his mum's questioning look he added, "Er, in the scuffle I kind of touched a bit of silver." He showed her a wrist. It was slightly pink, but relative to what the charred skin had been, it was a drastic improvement. "It worked."

"And how do you know you could trust that man?" said Devra. "He could have poisoned you or kidnapped you or something. He could have been from the ministry, looking to round up all the werewolves, or just a madman, or a dark wizard working for You-Know-Who."

"He isn't."

"And how do you know that?"

Vis paused a moment. How did he know? "Instincts, mum," he replied.

Devra looked away for a moment. What she would give to have the resources to check the background of this person…"Alright Vis. I believe you."

"He knows stuff mum," said Vis, trying to keep the awe in his voice from showing. "I could learn so much from him, mum. He's another of my kind!"

"You're a human, Vis. Your kind is human."

"But I'm also a werewolf mum," pointed out Vis. "The only time I've been able to take to someone about my lycanthropy was right after I was bit. And that wasn't all that great either." 

That was true, they didn't have much contact with the wizarding world, being muggles and all, no less other werewolves, which was just the way Devra wanted it."

"I don't want you around other werewolves, Vis. Who knows what they might influence you to do?  This man could be an alpha looking to start a new clan," Said Devra.

"Is that the reason you won't let me talk to anyone?" said Vis. "Then how the bloody hell am I supposed to learn about myself. I've got to learn about it someday. You keep telling me I could get hurt, but what if I hurt someone because I didn't know to control it? Don't you think I should learn that?"

"Who said this man would teach you?"

Vis faltered. He hadn't really asked, nor was he offered. "Well, I'd like to ask."

Devra sighed and gave one of the stove's knobs a flick. The flame sputtered out. "What's his name, by the way?"

"Remus Lupin."

Devra's mouth twitched into a smile. "Lupin? How appropriate."

Vis took the opportunity to roll his eyes again. 

* * *

AN: Sorry it took so long. I had most of it written a long time ago, but lacking a couple transitional paragraphs. The part with Vis walking home. Eh…Good with? Good without?

Q&Cs greatly welcome.


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